Author's Note: First and foremost….sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry that it took me this long to get the next chapter up. Work has been merciless as of late plus there is tons of family stuff going on right now. I greatly appreciate the reviews I've received for this story and do hope that they keep coming. I'll try my best to get chapters out faster. So please keep those cheers (and jeers, if any) coming.
Disclaimer: I make no claims on any of JKR's characters and/or storylines. I am just borrowing a little bit of each and tossing them together for a new kind of salad with a different dressing.
Now…without further delay…
"Hey Hermione!" Ron called out. "Have you seen Harry? I could have sworn we agreed earlier to get our Divination homework started."
Hermione frowned at him. She knew exactly where Harry was and what he was doing at this moment. However, she was the only one privy to this information as Harry told her that Ron would never let him live it down if he found out.
Not that Hermione could blame Harry. Ron has been quite the insensitive prat lately. She was starting to have second thoughts about agreeing to go with him to the ball because of his very frequent ineptness and every now and then, the outstanding imbecility he can be capable of. Hermione wanted to learn and defense magic with Harry but because of the project, it wouldn't be ethical if she worked with her opponent. Besides, three's a crowd. She very much doubted Harry would appreciate her being around when he was supposed to be working with Cho. Boys, she thought to herself.
"I don't know, Ron," she replied nonchalantly. "Why do you need Harry to start your Divination homework? Surely you're not that helpless, are you?" Hermione landed him a slight disdainful look.
Ron failed to notice the look as he proceeded to plop himself down on a chair near the fireplace. "Well, unlike you, Harry and I, we do collaborative work. And we do our best Divination homework best when we do it together."
Hermione muttered under her breath. "Keep this up and you'll forever be Harry's sidekick."
"Did you say something?"
She shot the red-haired boy a glare. "Ron, you don't need Harry and I'm sure he's busy with something right now. Divination would be last on his mind. Besides, I think he mentioned earlier that he was done with that homework."
"So you do know where Harry is!"
"No I don't." Hermione closed her book and got up from the floor. She straightened and arranged her robes and proceeded to exit the common room.
"Hey where are you going?" Ron stood up.
Hermione turned her head really quick. "If you must know, I'm meeting Justin in a few minutes regarding the Defense project."
Ron harrumphed to show his distaste. "Him again? Really, Hermione, is there something going on between the two of you?"
"Oh quit it, will you?" Hermione was getting more and more annoyed. "You know that we have to meet to prepare for that Defense project."
"Yeah, whatever. I hope I end up on Harry's team so I'll be able to blast Fincher in his place," Ron muttered. "We'll see who's the better duelist then."
Hermione didn't bother responding to the last remark and just closed the portrait hole behind her.
*****
"Expecto Patronum!"
Without fail, a vapory mist shot out from his wand and took the form of a magnificent stag; it galloped about ten feet onward before dissipating into thin air.
Cho was greatly impressed to say the least. She has never really met anyone, other than Harry of course, who could generate such magic at such an age. He walked on over to her with a small smile on his face.
"You think you're ready to try it?" said Harry as he sat on a pile of cushions on the floor.
Earlier they had used the pile as a landing spot while testing out blasting and stupefy spells in moderation. It was Friday and he had invited Cho for some more defense magic practice in the Room of Requirement. Since Wednesday, they had agreed to meet with each other a few more times in preparation for their Defense project. All thoughts about other school activities, such as the Yule Ball and quidditch practice and even Christmas, were furthest from their minds.
"I don't know. How do I know what form will my Patronus take? Will I get a stag like yours?" The Ravenclaw girl n got up from her seat and moved about ten feet away from him.
"I'm not sure. I think mine took the form of a stag because of my father…," Harry thought for a moment. "Your Patronus…it takes the form of something that…well it comes from something that makes you happy. That's the key to casting it successfully—that happy moment or thought."
"About anything?"
Harry noticed her still doubtful look and nodded. "Yeah. Go on. It won't hurt to try," he assured her.
Cho was hesitant but nodded back. A happy thought, huh? Quickly rummaging her mind for happy memories, she grasped one fond memory and held onto it firmly in her mind. Closing her eyes as if to recall everything about that memory, she faintly smiled. Slowly, she reopened her eyes, raised her wand and confidently said,
"Expecto Patronum!"
From her wand, came a burst of wispy white smoke, as Harry's did earlier, which, after a few moments, was taking a firmer shape before her eyes. It was a silvery swan, she surmised. It flew onward toward Harry's direction before dissipating into thin air.
Harry was doubtful but as soon as he saw that swan, he was found to have a huge grin on his face. As soon as it dissipated, he quickly stood on his feet and walked on over to Cho's side to congratulate her. To say the least, he was quite proud of her achievement. The Patronus charm is one of the most difficult charms to execute. And Cho Chang was able to generate one in her first try. But he knew that she had yet to face a real threat or see anything close to it so it was difficult to gauge just how powerful it was. Subduing his elation slightly, he patted her slightly by her right shoulder.
"That was great, Cho. It's still slightly shaky, but it's a start." Harry complimented her.
"Thanks. I have a great teacher." Cho beamed in return.
Harry's face turned slightly reddish. "Mind if I ask what you were thinking about?"
Cho gave him a wry smile. "Sorry, Harry, but that's not meant to be public information. Besides, like you said, it's still a little shaky. It's not as…intimidating as your Patronus."
"Well it's a start, though. Unfortunately, we can't really test it against a real Dementor," Harry said thoughtfully. "It would be unpleasant as it is to face one, but in these times you really can't tell anymore."
Cho looked at him apprehensively. She knew he was right. As excited as she was about generating some sort of Patronus, she really wouldn't jump at a chance to test it against a real Dementor yet. Recalling how terrified she was two years ago when she was up in the air against Harry during a quidditch match, Cho wasn't sure that she would be confident enough to try her luck against a real one. A sigh escaped her lips.
"Tired?" Harry's question broke her thoughts.
"No. Well, not really. I was just wondering…I know my Patronus right now won't be much of a match against a real Dementor. At least not yet." She paused. "I was remembering how impressed I was with how you expertly generated a Patronus two years ago and still got the snitch during our match."
Harry gave her a thoughtful look. "You still remember that? I won't call that expertly. I was quite terrified. I didn't fancy the possibility of falling about thirty feet from my broom once again though." He moved toward a window. "I wasn't sure if I'd get lucky again. But at the same time, I was upset at myself because I lost to Cedric the match before. I wanted to win so badly and I couldn't let Dementors get in my way."
"But," Cho interrupted, "I recall Cedric and I talking about that match. He knew that you were going to win despite all his efforts." Cho took a seat by the pile of cushions. "You were much faster regardless of how uncooperative the weather was. Then you just fell. As soon as his hand closed around the snitch, he wanted no more than to let it go when he saw those cloaked figures hovering over you."
"He did, didn't he? I would really have enjoyed a rematch. But that's quite impossible now," Harry remarked sullenly.
Cho noted the change in his tone. She didn't know what to say. Cedric was still a tender subject. Without warning, the feeling of guilt swept and overcame her. She moved away from him as she realized that tears were forming on her eyes.
Harry kept silent as he watched her move away. He almost missed the watering of her eyes. He knew that the subject of Cedric was causing it. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he uneasily asked.
Suddenly feeling embarrassed, she quickly wiped the moisture from her eyes. She didn't want Harry to see her like this. She didn't want him to feel guilty and think he caused it. "I don't know."
Closing his eyes, Harry summoned a couch near the middle of the room. Cho took notice of it and immediately proceeded to sit without waiting for Harry to say another word. Harry took a seat next to her.
"I wondered...If Cedric knew how to do the things…some of the magic that you taught me…some of the magic we learned together…if he…if he…" Cho Chang couldn't hold the tears back anymore.
"He knew. He knew a lot," said Harry. "He wouldn't have been selected to compete in the TriWizard Competition if he didn't."
Cho leaned back and rested her head against the edge of couch rest. "I miss him."
"I'm sorry." Harry stood up and walked by a window to view the rising moon over the horizon.
"Oh Harry, you have nothing to be sorry for. I never blamed you. I've always blamed…Vol-Vol-dermort." Cho's voice wavered at the end.
"You mentioned his name. Aren't you afraid?"
Other than their voices, crickets were the only other things that made any sounds in the room. Cho breathed deeply. "Of course I am. But I'm angry too. And for now, I think my anger at him has pushed my fears aside. What about you? Why aren't you afraid of him?"
"Maybe it's because I never really grew up in the magical world. The terror that his name supposedly instilled never affected me. Granted that it was his fault that I don't have parents anymore, like you I think it is anger that fuels me. I don't shudder at the sound of his name," he explained. "I never did."
"I hope my resolve will just be as firm as yours eventually."
Harry turned to face her direction. "You're well down the right path. You can say his name at least, and that's a good thing."
"Thanks but," she smiled at him, "I believe that's because you're with me. I can't say I'd be as confident by myself or with another other than you." A tiny yawn overcame her.
Harry looked at his watch briefly. "It's a bit late. Perhaps now would be a good time to call it a night?"
Cho's eyes darted outside. "I suppose you're right."
Harry regarded her defeated tone. "I…I'll walk you back to your house. That is, if you don't mind."
"Sure! I mean…I'd like it if you walked me back." Cho colored slightly. That was a little too enthusiastic, Cho Chang, she reminded herself. She suddenly found the floor interesting as she fidgeted a bit. "You don't mind?"
"Oh no, I don't. It's okay." Harry rubbed the back of his neck.
Cho gave him a weak smile and moved to pick up the books and scrolls strewn all over the floor. "Well I suppose we ought to clean up first. This mess won't go away by itself."
"Right, right." Harry put away his wand and followed suit. He got down on his knees and picked up parchments and scrolls. He was a bit sad that the night was about to end as it had been quiet enjoyable and unfashionably quiet for him. At the same time, he was confused because he couldn't figure Cho out. Part of him was so tempted to open his arms to her, to offer her some comfort. Another part was terribly scared because he might do the wrong thing in offering comfort. Was he the right person for this?
Moments flew by in silence and soon they both realized that they were finished fixing the equipment used in the room. They stood before each other in discomfort and neither really knew what to say. Almost comically thought, both of them opened their mouths in unison.
"Shall we-"
"I think-"
Their eyes met and soon laughter ensued, breaking the tension.
"Harry," Cho recovered and spoke first. "Are you comfortable with this? Working on this project with me?"
Harry replied, "Should I be otherwise?" At that question, she shook her head.
"There's nothing wrong, right? I mean we're friends, you and I. Right?" she asked nervously.
"Ah…yeah, of course we are." Harry ran his right hand through his hair, lightly grazing his scar. "Um…so when should we meet again? For practice, that is."
"Well, there's a scheduled Hogsmeade trip tomorrow. I believe it's the last one before Christmas break. Instead of practice, why don't we just…meet up there?" Cho knew that her cheeks were reddening in embarrassment. She felt like she was asking him out. "To…talk about the project of course," she quickly added.
The emerald-eyed boy's face lit up. "Sure. Do you want to meet there or meet here then go?"
"We can meet tomorrow at Hogsmeade, if you don't mind?"
"That's alright with me." Harry walked up to the door that led out of the room and opened it, quickly glancing out to see if the hallway was empty. "Time to call it a night then?"
Cho Chang suddenly blushed furiously as her eyes rested on an object above Harry's head. She walked up to him and meekly said, "Mistletoe."
Harry had a blank stare on his face. "I'm sorry...what?" His gaze flew up and his face soon mirrored the same hue as Cho's. "I...Dobby...He must have put that up there. I think he wanted to make this room a bit more festive for the holidays."
"Oh okay."
Harry battled with himself as he looked from the mistletoe to Cho Chang, standing in front of him. Should he keep with the holiday tradition? What does Cho think about it? Should he kiss her or not?
Cho, sensing Harry's internal struggle, decided for him. She started to back away from Harry, moving sideways away from the door.
Whatever possessed Harry at that moment, he'll never know but he'll have the rest of the evening to think about it. He reached for Cho and slightly pulled her to him.
Cho was, for lack of a better word, shocked to be pulled towards Harry. What surprised her even more was her lack of resistance as he looked at her with his intense green eyes.
"Mistletoe," he whispered softly.
"Harry…you don't have t-" His finger on her lips silenced her.
"Shhh. For Christmas."
Timidly, she nodded and found herself leaning towards him, her face tilted up. Right now, everything else was forgotten. This, to her, felt right. Never mind the consequences. Never mind what will come later. She raised her left hand and planted it on top of Harry's chest as she leaned forward. Cho wanted this.
Harry, not sure of what he was doing, saw his gaze rest on her lips. His body shivered when he felt her hand on his chest. His left arm, used to pull her earlier to him, was now wrapped around her small waist. He tilted forward and closed his eyes, his heart beating madly.
Only an inch now set them apart.
Thump.
The seconds, for both of them, dragged on.
Thump thump.
The calm in their hearts gave way to ruffled beats.
Thump thump thump.
And before they knew it, their lips touched.
-TBC